Speed camera database

skierboy · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 02, 2007 Posts: 12

Hi, can you please tell me if your database is any different to that of what I can buy from TomTom?

Is yours anymore extensive than their database?

Does your speed warnings look any different on a TomTom with your information to the standard?

Thanks
skierboy

PaulB2005 · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:31 am Post subject:

Probably easiest to start with reading this thread

Andy_P · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:09 pm Post subject:

In addition to that guide...

The PGPSW database has ALL reported mobile camera sites. TomTom's only attempts to show those "live" today (assuming you have the phone link to update it. As it depends on users reporting it, it's pretty poor.

The PGPSW shows the cameras on screen and also as a large speed-limit sign in the top left corner. The TomTom database shows it smaller and often just as a camera icon, not the speed.

The PGPSW one is much more complete/accurate/ up to date.

With the PGPSW one you can also have voice warnings giving the speed limit, the TT one can only go "bing" or at the very most say the camera *type* not speed.

mikealder · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject:

How often is the database from TomTom updated is it monthly, four times a year - anyone got an idea?
The PGPSW database is updated weekly - Mike

DennisN · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject:

The problem with TT database is it's not transparent. Apart from all the points already raised .....

The pgpsw database release notification gives you a link to see how many cameras are in the db.
The notification tells you how many new/changed cameras are involved "this week".
The cameras are always visible on the device, so whether you are driving or simply browsing, you can see the camera sites.

Nobody knows any of the above about the TT database. It's even more of a secret than the mapshare corrections.

How can you possibly have confidence in something which simply says "Trust me, I'm great!" when it quickly demonstrates that with warnings for non existent cameras and no warnings for new cameras it clearly is NOT great.

TomTom proved they were unable to present a reliable database of their own and it looks as though they are now trying to prove they can be unreliable with somebody else's. They'd be far better off concentrating on providing a solid platform for third party stuff, like pgpsw database.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

mikealder · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject:

chastreo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 27, 2007 Posts: 42

OK, how about the Garmin db ?

It, Garmin, seems to be reasonably up to date, and it's status is reported by PGPSW each time the PGPSW db is updated.

I'm using the PGPSW db on my Garmin, having renewed my subs for the 2nd year, but I find the Garmin db better in a few area's.

My main complaint is that the PGPSW db will warn me about camera's which do not look at me, unlike the Garmin db :

- Going along a motorway in a 70mph limit, I get a 40mph warning for road bridges I'm driving under, which the Garmin db would ignore.

- On a duel carriageway with a camera on both sides, the Garmin DB will only warn me about the one on my side, correctly, but the PGPSW db warns me twice.

I know that Garmin will only 'allow' the Garmin db to work this 'correct' way, but unless the PGPSW db is much superior in it's data, I'm thinking of turning off the PGPSW db and only using the Garmin one as active. The PGPSW db will still display on my map, but will not be active.

Any thoughts? Cool

Darren · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject:

Any thoughts? Yes plenty. Garmin's database is £29.99 per year per device for UK only. Ours is £16.99 for all countries we cover and up to three devices.

I'm pretty sure Garmin don't cover red-light cameras either.

You can also qualify for free lifetime updates, we're fully open about the service and our data is better. We have direction data but Garmin reserve the use of that for their own service. If we could offer it we would happily.

At the end of the day though it's the data quality that is paramount and i stand by the firm belief that ours is very much better and more up to date.
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Darren Griffin

chastreo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 27, 2007 Posts: 42

Andy_P · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject:

It is now.....

Until very recently, the TomTom-supplied database couldn't differentiate direction either, but in recent software versions they now can. Like Garmin, they are keeping it to themselves.

Out of interest... what is the Garmin database like for Mobile sites? Do you know what their policy is?

PGPSW keep records of ALL sites used (for ever) and only purge them from the monthly releases after a year or more with no further sightings.

TomTom have a system where they try to ONLY show sites that are manned ON THAT DAY. Obviously this depends on amazingly good reporting and instant updates, neither of which seem to work in practice.

chastreo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 27, 2007 Posts: 42

MaFt · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:00 pm Post subject:

when i've played with the garmin/cyclops database the mobile stuff has been an 'area' rather than an actual 'site'. ie you can drive along a road for half a mile being constantly beeped at that you are 0.1mph over the speed in a mobile zone. no idea where the actual trap is placed though...

and as darren says, they don't offer redlight camera warnings.

MaFt

peterc10 · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject:

DennisN · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:32 pm Post subject:

PaulB2005 · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 11:36 pm Post subject:

As Dennis say, the GPRS Database isn't the Garmin database but another format of the PGPSW database for Garmin devices that don't support the CSV database. More info here

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